Apple and Roskomnadzor did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters reporters in Russia could still access the app on mobile devices. Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has put dozens of opposition media websites on blacklists and banned several foreign social-media platforms in a crackdown it casts as part of an information war unleashed by the West after Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty news app has been removed from the App Store in Russia, in another case of the state mandating what apps are allowed.

Apple has notified RFE/RL that it has removed another app from the Apple App Store in Russia following a request from Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor, reports RFEI. The newly removed RFE/RL app (which is still available in other countries) is that of the Russian Service,